History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 72

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923 > Part 72

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Mr. Starkey is deeply interested in the develop- ment of Sacramento County, and in the industrial growth of his home city. In national political affairs he endorses the platforms of the Republican party, which he believes make for commercial and industrial prosperity.

Mr. Starkey was married in Dunsmuir, on Decem- ber 23, 1903, to Miss Marie Clausnitzer, of that city; and their union has been blessed with the birth of one child, a daughter named Verna, a graduate from the Sacramento high school and now a student at Heald's Business College. Mr. Starkey belongs to the Knights of Pythias Lodge. He was one, of five to organize the Sacramento Draymen's Association, now Coast- wide in its operations, and was one of the first direc- tors. He is public-spirited in all things, and he has made a name and a place for himself through his own efforts.

WILLIAM STEPHEN KINGSBURY .- A prom- inent public official whose wide and valuable prac- tical experience, together with his exceptional train- ing, has contributed to bring him to the front, is Wil- liam Stephen Kingsbury, who was born at Oakland, Cal., on August 3, 1870, the same year in which Joaquin Miller went to Europe, preparatory to his making Oakland his permanent home. The father, William Van Horn Kingsbury, was a pioneer who came to California, via Panama, in 1852, and tried his fortune in the mines. He married Miss Lucy Clem- entine Keyes, who is still living, the center of a circle of devoted friends.

William Kingsbury attended the public school, and pursued technical courses while also enjoying valua- ble practice as a civil engineer. He entered the city engineer's office in Los Angeles, becoming chief deputy and later acting city engineer, continuing there for twelve years in all. At the Santa Cruz Republican Convention, in 1906, he was nominated on the Republican ticket as candidate for surveyor general, and in the fall of that year was elected sur- veyor general of California. He has since been re- elected to that responsible post in 1910, 1914, 1918 and 1922, his support at the hands of his fellow- citizens, who have had every opportunity to know his record, being the most unqualified and most compli- mentary endorsement a man could wish. In national politics a Republican, and a member of Los Angeles Parlor 45, N. S. G. W., General Kingsbury has always endeavored to serve the state well, deeming it not only a patriotic duty but a privilege to be highly appreciated.

General Kingsbury was married in Los Angeles, in 1901, to Miss Bertha B. Kane, a native of Iowa, and the daughter of Albert E. and Anna (Rickey) Kane. A son, William Stephen Kingsbury, Jr., has blessed the union, and also a younger son, John, and a daugh- ter, Kathleen. General Kingsbury is both a Knight Templar and a Scottish Rite Mason and also a mem- ber of Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Los An- geles, and of Los Angeles Lodge No. 99, B. P. O. E. He is especially well regarded among his fellow pro- fessional men, who fully appreciate the honest and able administration by him of his busy and difficult office.

W. S. Klingalway

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

ANDREW JOHNSON .- One of the most popular and enterprising business men in Sacramento County was the late Andrew Johnson, who was born near Trondhjem, May 29, 1859. He came to America and located in Sacramento County in the fall of 1883, where he followed farming. Later on he took into partnership his brother. C. A. Johnson; and as they prospered they rented larger areas, farming a large tract of the Haggin Grant and raising grain on a large scale. Meantime, in 1899, he purchased the ranch of 800 acres near Franklin, where he made his home. continuing, however, to farm on a large scale on leased fand. In 1912 they gave up farming the Haggin lands; and in 1913, with his brother, he pur- chased the Altucker ranch of 1.007 acres on the Cos- umnes. The brothers devoted their ranches to raising grain and alfalfa and to dairying, and also to viticul- ture, developing an excellent and well-kept vineyard. Mr. Johnson was actively engaged in looking after his affairs until his death, which occurred on July 22, 1921.

In Sacramento, on November 19, 1906, Andrew Johnson was married to Ragnhild Sandstad, born at Copenhagen, Denmark. Her father, Dr. Thoralf Sandstad, born near Trondhjem, Norway, was a graduate veterinary surgeon from the King's Veter- inary College in Copenhagen. During his college course he was married to Matilda Larsen, a native of Copenhagen, of a prominent old Danish family, whose brother, Gen. Lauritz Peter Larsen, was a general of infantry in the Danish army. Dr. Sandstad, soon after his graduation, returned to Norway, serving as government veterinary surgeon of his home district, a position he still holds, at the same time being en- gaged in the general practice of his profession-a hale and hearty man at the age of seventy-two years. His wife passed on about 1908, leaving six children: Ragnhild, Mrs. Johnson; Ingeborg, who died at twenty years of age; Hakon, assisting Mrs. Johnson; Astrid, Mrs. Gundtwedt, who lives in Norway; Einar, a farmer at Hood; and Alf, also assisting his sister, Mrs. Johnson. Ragnhild Sandstad was edu- cated in a private school. She had an uncle, Knut Sandstad, living at Lincoln, Cal., whom she came to visit, making the journey hither in 1906, and it was here she met and married Mr. Johnson.

Andrew Johnson was a very prominent man in community affairs, being a stockholder in the Mutual Telephone Company, and a member of the Grange, the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, Northern California Milk Producers' Association, and Cali- fornia Grape Growers' Exchange. He was one of the founders and a prime mover in organizing the Elk Grove Vineyard Association, and was its president and manager until his death. He was also one of the founders and a director of the Bank of Elk Grove. He was a man of good business judgment, and very progressive and liberal. A man of pleasing person- ality and a fine musician, being an excellent organist. pianist and violinist, he often contributed to the pleasure of his friends, who enjoyed his rendition of instrumental music. The following resolution of regret was sent to Mrs. Johnson on January 10, 1922, by E. M. Sheehan, of the executive committee of the Grape Growers' Association:

"At the annual meeting of the Grape Growers' As- sociation, it became my esteemed privilege and duty to express to you, in a feeble way, in behalf of all of

our membership, the very sincere sorrow and very great loss brought to our organization by the passing of our fellow-member and director, Mr. Andrew Johnson.

"We knew him as a man of few words, of high and sterling character, unimpeachable integrity, loyalty to his friends, justice to those who differed, fidelity in all good causes, honest in his dealings with his business associates; in short, a man among men and a worthy and loving husband and father.

"Such men are missed when called from the as- sociation of hundreds of personal friends; and if that be granted, how much more must he be mourned by his own family and near and dear neighbors, who have known him so intimately over a period of many years.

"E. Mf. Sheehan."

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson's union was blessed with four children: Helen, Doris, Andrew, and Frances. By a former union, Mr. Johnson had six children: Albert, Carl, Anna, Frank, Susie, and Aagot.

Since Mr. Johnson's death, Mrs. Johnson has con- tinued to reside on the ranch, looking after the affairs left by her esteemed husband.

C. A. JOHNSON .- A successful and enterprising rancher, who has been a resident of California since 1885, is C. A. Johnson, who was born in Trondhjems Stift, Norway, where he was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the excellent schools for which Norway is noted. When eighteen years of age he decided to come to America; so in 1883 we find him in Kandiyohi County, Minn. After remaining in that state for two years, he came to California, in 1885, locating in Sacramento County. Soon after, with his brother Andrew, he engaged in grain-raising, farming about 3,000 acres of the Hag- gin ranch from 1888 till 1912, operating this one place all these years and meeting with good success. They had purchased a ranch near Franklin, where his brother Andrew resided; and in 1913 they purchased the old Altucker ranch of 1,007 acres on the Cos- umnes River, to which place he moved and which he has since made his home. Aside from raising grain, he is growing alfalfa, having installed a pumping- plant for irrigation. In operating his place he uses both teams and tractors for motive power. He has a well-equipped dairy of seventy excellent Holstein milch-cows.

In 1899, Mr. Johnson made a trip back to his old home; and in Trondhjem, on March 28, of that year, he was united in marriage with Miss Charlotte Spechmann, who was a native of Trondhjem, a daughter of Valdmar and Nicholena Spechmann. Her father was a business man in his locality. He passed away when Charlotte was a small child. When five years of age she came with her mother to Brooklyn, N. Y., and later they lived in New York City; and she attended school in both of these places. In 1878 they returned to Trondhjem, where she completed her education.

After his marriage, Mr. Johnson brought his bride to Sacramento County and resumed his farming operations, in which he has been very successful. .Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are liberal and kind-hearted and have a pleasing personality, their generous hos- pitality being much appreciated by their numerous friends, who esteem them very highly for their many

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

virtues and worthy attributes of mind and heart. Mrs. Johnson is a member of Bethel Lutheran Church, in North Sacramento.

THOMAS M. KELLY .- To the well-directed ef- forts of Thomas M. Kelly, who until recently was manager of the Rucker-Fuller Desk Company of Sacramento, is due a large share of the prosperity of this company and its favorable standing with the public. Mr. Kelly is a native son, born in the capital city on June 15, 1899, a son of Edward E. and Cath- erine (Barry) Kelly. Edward Kelly settled in Sac- ramento in 1890, and for many years was a city em- ploye. Both parents are living in Sacramento.

Thomas M. Kelly received his education in the parochial and high schools of Sacramento. Immedi- ately following his graduation from high school he became an employe of Henderson-Longton Company where he was employed for a year and a half; and thereafter he tried the real estate business for six months. During the World War, he enlisted with the college unit for officers' training, and after his discharge took a position with the Wood-Curtis Com- pany for one year. In 1919 he was put in charge of the Sacramento branch of the C. W. Smith Company; and when the Rucker-Fuller Company purchased the C. W. Smith Company, Mr. Kelly was made manager of the Sacramento branch. This company deals in all kinds of office furniture and supplies, and under the able management of Mr. Kelly did a fine business. When the Auburn Savings Bank opened up its branch at Newcastle, Mr. Kelly accepted a position there as assistant cashier; and in consequence he and his wife are now residing at the Lang Apartments at Newcastle.

The marriage of Mr. Kelly united him with Miss Eva Rogers, of Newcastle, Cal. In politics Mr. Kelly is a Democrat; and fraternally he belongs to the Elks and to the Sacramento Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

MRS. VALLA E. PARKINSON .- Prominent among the relatively few, but for that reason all the more interesting and important women who have conferred distinction upon the Bar of California, is Mrs. Valla E. Parkinson, practicing attorney, with offices in the Forum Building, Sacramento. Born near Firebaugh, Fresno County, she was the daugh- ter of Harrison Rich and his good wife, Jeanette (McCoy) Rich, successful fruit-growers, who were carly settlers and are still living to tell the tale of their pioneer days.

Valla Rich attended the grammar and high schools in Santa Cruz County, and in 1911 was married to Wilbur Parkinson. Thereafter she studied law in a law office in Sacramento, and on February 16, 1914, was admitted to practice in the courts of California; and since then she has practiced here continuously. She has also been admitted to practice in the Federal courts of the state.

Mrs. Parkinson was the first lady attorney admitted to practice in the Sacramento courts. She is the only woman member of the Sacramento County Bar Asso- ciation, and she is also a member of the American Bar Association. During the World War she was one of the four-minute speakers, was a member of the advisory council, and took an active part in the

Liberty-Loan, Red-Cross, and other war drives. She is a member of the Sacramento Chamber of Com- merce and one of the vice-presidents of the Woman's Bureau of the same. Fraternally, she is a member of the Rebekahs and of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, being a past president of Colomo Par- lor No. 212, Sacramento; and she is also a member of the Sacramento Business Women's Club.

Sacramento is justly proud of Mrs. Parkinson, whose influential life and substantial accomplishments worthily represent the many women of worth and note in the city and county.

JOHN C. RYAN .- One of the Argonauts who came to California in early days, tried their hand at mining, and then settled down to help in the up- building of the new state, was John C. Ryan, a native of Ireland, born in 1825. When still a youth, in 1843, he made the then long ocean voyage to the United States, locating in Lowell, Mass. In 1848 he went to New Orleans, and thence to Memphis, Tenn., and finally, in 1852, crossed the plains to California, arriving in Hangtown, now Placerville, August 1, 1852, and for two years tried his luck at mining in that region. The young pioneer decided, however, that he would not follow mining as a steady occupa- tion, and he became the first brick-maker of Sacra- mento, settling in that city in 1854, and was there interested in a large brick-yard on L Street, a mem- ber of the firm of Callahan & Ryan, brick manufactur- ers. Mr. Callahan died in the seventies and then the firm name became John C. Ryan, and later he became interested in street- and road-building and general contracting. Many of the brick buildings now stand- ing in the city were built of brick furnished by this firm, among them the Odd Fellows' Building, and many other landmarks, attesting to the durability of the building brick made in this pioneer yard. The firm also obtained the contract and built the Western Pacific Railway via Livermore to San Francisco, the first line to San Francisco in that early day.

Mr. Ryan was a very active man, interested in all that was going forward to add to the resources of his home city and surroundings; he was a member of the board of trustees of Sacramento, and served two years as superintendent of streets. During this time he was instrumental in bettering street conditions in the comparatively new city, and used his knowledge of construction to good advantage in this work, which means so much to the advancement of any town. He owned a block of land on I Street, which is now built up with residences, and the old family residence, built in 1878 by Mr. Ryan, still stands on that street.

The marriage of Mr. Ryan, in June, 1856, united him with Maria Lyons, also a native of Ireland, and eight children were born to this pioneer couple: Hon. Frank D., a prominent attorney, now deceased; Henry L., now deceased; Leonard; Agnes; Rose, wife of Charles S. Derham of San Francisco; Mrs. P. J. Harney; Mrs. Jas. Strachan; and Blanche, a teacher in the William Land school of Sacramento.

The death of this honored pioneer occurred in 1905, after a life of good works which left an untarnished name to his descendants, who carry on family tradi- tions started by a young couple who came out to the new state and reared a family amid pioneer condi- tions. The good wife's death occurred in 1912.

Jonn &. Ryan

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

MRS. ELIZABETH NOBLE .- A native daughter of Sacramento County who has been prominently identified with the district of her birth all her life is Mrs. Elizabeth Noble, the youngest child of well- known pioneer settlers of this county, William Henry and Elizabeth (Zumwalt) Young, the former born at Lincoln, Benton County, Mo., March 10, 1818, and the latter born at St. Charles, Mo., March 11, 1818. At- tracted to the West by the excitement resulting from the discovery of gold, William Henry Young crossed the plains with his family in the summer of 1852. Unlike many of the newcomers, he did not try his for- tune in the gold mines but engaged in agriculture as a permanent means of livelihood. Settling three miles from the present site of Galt, he took up a quarter- section of land on Dry Creek. This was in its virgin state, not a furrow having been turned in the soil, and his was the difficult task of making the land pro- ductive. He became extensively interested in raising grain, as well as cattle and hogs, and eventually accumulated an estate of 1,100 acres, becoming one of the most influential ranchers of the county. The names of the twelve children born to this worthy pioneer couple, with the dates of their birth, follow: William, November 25, 1838; Vernety, August 3, 1841; Henry, April 22, 1843; Leander J., August 3, 1846; Mary Ann, January 2, 1848; Christopher Columbus, January 25, 1850; Marion Francis, May 2, 1852; Cali- fornia Amador, January 1, 1855, born at Sutter Creek, Amador County; Daniel Boone, September 4, 1856. named for the famous hunter, who was a direct ances- tor of the family; Lafayette, February 2, 1859; Beaure- gard, August 11, 1861; Elizabeth, of this sketch, March 4, 1864. William Henry Young passed away February 18, 1883, his wife surviving him until May 5, 1895.

Elizabeth Young was born at the old homestead in Dry Creek Township, Sacramento County, and at- tended the schools at Galt, but discontinued her studies when only sixteen to assume the responsibili- ties of a home of her own, her marriage to George W. Noble occurring on September 30, 1880. Mr. Noble was born near Oquawka, Henderson County, Il1., January 19. 1852, a descendant of colonial Virginian ancestry on the paternal side and of substantial Easterners through the maternal lineage. His parents were George W. and Julia Ann (Moorhead) Noble, the former born in Virginia and the latter in Ohio, who both passed away at Oquawka, where Mr. Noble had been one of the very earliest settlers, coming there from his Virginia home when only eighteen, and in time becoming a prominent farmer of that sec- tion. His son, George W. Noble, Mrs. Elizabeth Noble's husband, started out for himself at the age of eighteen, and went to Jackson County, Kans., where he spent three years in farm pursuits. Returning to Illinois, he spent one year on a farm near Oquawka and then, in 1875, came to Galt, Cal., where he Iol- lowed the carpenter's trade for a time and also helped build the Ione Railroad. Later he opened a barber shop at Galt, which he conducted for many years. Meanwhile he became interested in ranching, and for twelve years he operated a farm of 250 acres, placing the land under a high state of cultivation and main- taining an equipment both modern and extensive. In all his activities he was fortunate in having the hearty cooperation of his capable wife, and not a little of his success may be attributed to her sagacious counsel and energetic assistance. After retiring from the farm, Mr. Noble reopened his barber shop and conducted it

until 1918, when a severe attack of influenza impaired his health, in consequence of which he has since been retired from active business life. Mrs. Noble is the owner of a fine farm of 246 acres east of Galt which she inherited from her father, and here her son- in-law conducts a dairy.

Mr. and Mrs. Noble are the parents of two children. William Henry resides in Sacramento and has two children: Everett and Howard. Violet Attella mar- ried A. R. Beckwith, and they reside on Mrs. Noble's ranch near Galt; they are the parents of two children: Chester R. and Grace E. Mrs. Noble is prominent in the activities of the Woman's Relief Corps, her brother William having been a veteran of the Civil War. She is a past noble grand and past district deputy of the Rebekahs and past worthy matron of the Eastern Star, her father having been a thirty-second- degree Mason. The friendship of a large circle of acquaintances indicates the sterling worth of herself and her husband, both of whom possess the good-will and warm regard of the entire community.

MRS. MARY J. GREEN .- Mrs. Mary J. Green, née Mary J. Thisby, is a native of Andrus Island in Sacramento County, and the daughter of George and Rebecca (Elliot) Thisby. Her father was a native of Scarborough, England, where he was born in 1828, while her mother was a native of Ireland. George Thisby was six months old when his parents came out to Canada, and there they lived until 1837. Then they crossed the line into the United States and Wiscon- sin, and remained there until 1845, when they removed to New Orleans, and engaged in steamboating until 1852.

In that year, George Thisby came West to Cali- fornia, and for a while he tried his luck at mining in Grass Valley, and then went into Santa Cruz County, where he remained until 1855. He then settled on Tyler Island at a point forty-one miles below Sacra- mento and engaged in farming. He lived there for a number of years, and also ran a fruit and vegetable boat to San Francisco for years. Then he purchased the place now owned by Mrs. Green's brother, George, consisting of 200 acres and devoted to the raising of fruit and asparagus.

Mary J. Thisby was the only girl in a family of six children. Henry died on December 5, 1891, at the age of twenty-one; and he was the eldest. George was born after Mary, and is now on the old home place. William J. was drowned, on May 1, 1918, when forty- two and a half years old. Robert Francis is also de- ceased, having passed away on April 23, 1916, at the age of thirty-eight. Leonard, the youngest born, died on December 4, 1914. It is a strange circumstance that those who have departed this life from this family have met death by accident. George Thisby's horses ran away, and he was thrown out of his wagon and killed in 1880. Leonard, while undersheriff of Sacra- mento County, dropped his revolver, and his own bul- let proved fatal. Mrs. George Thisby was sixty-five years old on August 5, 1908, when she died in Sacra- mento. She was married on September 8, 1869. Mr. Thisby set out the fruit orchard and vineyard, and the extensive vegetable gardens. He died on September 25, 1880.

Mary Thisby attended the Georgiana and the Wal- nut Grove district schools, and then went to Mills Seminary at Oakland for five months, and finished at Irving's Institute in San Francisco. She was mar- ried, on April 18, 1894, at her home, to Joseph E.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

Green, who was born on the ranch where the subject now lives one and one-half miles north of Courtland, on November 30, 1864, the son of Joseph Green and his good wife, Theresa Koch. Joseph Green, Sr., was a native of the Rhine Province, Germany. He came over to New York at the age of eighteen, remained there for five years, and in 1851 came out to Cali- fornia and mined gold. He then bought a farm one and one-half miles north of Courtland, consisting of 196 acres. In 1860 he married Theresa Koch, also a native of Germany. He had two children, a son, the husband of our subject, and Mary, who is Mrs. Cow- ing, of Alameda. Joseph Green was very enterprising, and he had one of the neatest ranches in Sacramento County, which was devoted to a large variety of fruit. He had reached a good old age when he died in 1894; his good wife passed away when the children were young.

Joseph E. Green was educated at the Richland school, in Sacramento County, and at the McClure Military Academy, in Oakland, and when through with his school-books, he remained at home and helped to run the farm. He finally acquired title to this ranch when his father died, while his sister in- herited the ranch on Grand Island. The elder Joseph Green used to have a dairy in early days, but he gave this up after a few years, and devoted this ranch entirely to fruit. After our subject and her husband came onto the place, they reestablished the dairy, and had about thirty head of cattle. When her husband died, Mrs. Green sold the dairy herd, and the land was set to vineyard, but will now be set to Philip cling peaches. The year they were married, Joseph E. Green purchased 333 acres on Grand Island below Ryde from Dennis Leary. He sold six acres to the Libby, McNeil & Libby Company, as a site on which to erect an asparagus cannery. Mrs. Green still has the Grand Island ranch, and she and her son are devoting it to pears, beans and asparagus.

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History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 72

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026